Editor’s Note: This post is part of an occasional series that puts a spotlight on publicly available data and tries to help readers dig deeper. See something we should investigate further? Please write to tips@gannettwisconsin.com or call our Investigations Hotline: 920-455-5025.

So you want to learn more about how the state spends taxpayer dollars and aren’t sure where to start. If you live in Wisconsin, one place is a searchable database of expenses maintained by the state Department of Administration. Unlike budget reports and routine audits, this database can provide a more detailed and recent look at where the state is spending money.

Questions you can explore: Which state agencies are spending the most? What types of expenses – such as supplies, travel, utilities and repairs – are costing taxpayers the most? Which companies are getting selected and paid for state-funded work? How has spending shifted to different expenses from previous years?

Questions you can’t explore: Were the costs reasonable? What was the scope of work that companies were selected to complete? Did other companies offer lower prices or superior services? With some exceptions, how much are individual state employees being paid?

A sample finding, visualized: Food and medical supplies expenses in state prisons, fiscal years 2008 to 2016

When shown the chart above, state Department of Corrections officials attributed a slight decline in food expenses to lower gas prices and a recent spike in drug and medical supplies to higher prices for prescription drugs. A request for additional information about the agency's drug purchases is pending.

Some related work: In December 2015, USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin used the database to reveal that a new system of distributing travel allowances to state legislators had increased costs despite assurances to the contrary. Additional state financial records later confirmed the finding and legislators imposed new restrictions to cut costs.

Caveats: The data is supposed to be updated every two weeks from the state’s accounting system but sometimes the website undergoes maintenance. In addition, the recipient of some payments is masked because the transaction went through a bank and other types of payments are excluded altogether from the database. For a more complete list of caveats, visit openbook.wi.gov/CommonQuestions.aspx.

How to share: We encourage readers to explore the data and share their findings in the comments section of this article. You can also contact us by writing to tips@gannettwisconsin.com or by calling our Investigations Hotline: 920-455-5025. Thanks!